Warranty monitoring and enforcement for integrated circuit and related design structure

ABSTRACT

An integrated circuit (IC) including a warranty and enforcement system, and a related design structure and HDL design structure are disclosed. In one embodiment, an IC includes a parameter obtainer for obtaining a value of a parameter of the IC; a warranty data storage system for storing warranty limit data regarding the IC; a comparator for determining whether a warranty limit has been exceeded by comparing the value of the parameter to a corresponding warranty limit; and an action taker for taking a prescribed action in response to the warranty limit being exceeded.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This U.S. Patent Application is related to pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/113,966, filed concurrently herewith on May 2,2008.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates generally to integrated circuit (IC) operation,and more particularly, to warranty monitoring and enforcement for an ICincluding a design structure for the IC.

2. Background Art

Practically all products made have some sort of warranty associatedtherewith. Typically, most warranties have limits prescribed by themanufacturer after which the warranty is unenforceable or changed. Inthe integrated circuit (IC) industry, warranty limits are generallybased upon a date of purchase or whether the IC is used outside ofspecified, acceptable operational parameters. IC warranty limits mayinclude, for example, power-on hours, temperature limits, voltagelimits, or any environmental or usage parameters. With ICs, other thanthe date of purchase and the rare occurrence where an end-user knows theparameters under which an IC operates, operational data regarding the ICis typically unavailable. Consequently, enforcement of warranty limitsfor ICs is difficult. Furthermore, in most cases, the end-user is notaware of the status of warranty limiting parameters of the IC, andcannot avoid warranty limiting events.

SUMMARY

An integrated circuit (IC) including a warranty and enforcement system,a method and related design structure are disclosed. In one embodiment,an IC includes a parameter obtainer for obtaining a value of a parameterof the IC; a warranty data storage system for storing warranty limitdata regarding the IC; a comparator for determining whether a warrantylimit has been exceeded by comparing the value of the parameter to acorresponding warranty limit; and an action taker for taking aprescribed action in response to the warranty limit being exceeded.

A first aspect of the disclosure provides an integrated circuit (IC)comprising: a parameter obtainer for obtaining a value of a parameter ofthe IC; a warranty data storage system for storing warranty limit dataregarding the IC; a comparator for determining whether a warranty limithas been exceeded by comparing the value of the parameter to acorresponding warranty limit; and an action taker for taking aprescribed action in response to the warranty limit being exceeded.

A second aspect of the disclosure provides a method comprising: storingwarranty limit data regarding an integrated circuit (IC); obtaining avalue of a parameter of the IC; determining whether a warranty limit hasbeen exceeded by comparing the value of the parameter to a correspondingwarranty limit; and taking a prescribed action in response to thewarranty limit being exceeded.

A third aspect of the disclosure provides a design structure embodied ina machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing anintegrated circuit, the design structure comprising: an integratedcircuit (IC) including: a warranty data storage system for storingwarranty limit data regarding the IC; a parameter obtainer for obtaininga value of a parameter of the IC; a comparator for determining whether awarranty limit has been exceeded by comparing the value of the parameterto a corresponding warranty limit; and an action taker for taking aprescribed action in response to the warranty limit being exceeded.

The illustrative aspects of the present disclosure are designed to solvethe problems herein described and/or other problems not discussed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of this disclosure will be more readilyunderstood from the following detailed description of the variousaspects of the disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings that depict various embodiments of the disclosure, in which:

FIG. 1 shows embodiments of an integrated circuit (IC) including awarranty and enforcement system according to the disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of embodiments of an operational methodologyof the warranty and enforcement system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows embodiments of parameter monitor(s) according to thedisclosure.

FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram of a design process used in semiconductordesign, manufacture, and/or test.

It is noted that the drawings of the disclosure are not to scale. Thedrawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the disclosure,and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of thedisclosure. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elementsbetween the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, embodiments of an integrated circuit (IC) 100including a warranty monitoring and enforcement system 102 according tothe disclosure are shown. “Integrated circuit” (IC) as used herein mayinclude, but is not limited to: any miniaturized circuitry, and mayinclude, for example, one or more application specific orgeneral-purpose circuits or systems. That is, IC should be given thebroadest possible interpretation. IC 100 includes operational logic 104that may perform any now known or later developed functions outside ofwarranty monitoring and enforcement system 102. A “warranty” as usedherein is a promise that the material and workmanship of IC 100 iswithout defect or will meet a specified level of performance over aspecified period of time when used in a manner consistent with thatprescribed. A “warranty limit” is a value of one or more parameters ofIC 100 at which some change in the warranty occurs. For example, uponthe temperature of IC 100 exceeding 80° C., the warranty may stipulatethat it is void. Hence, a temperature of 80° C. is a warranty limit. Thewarranty limit may also be predicated on a number of parameters. Forexample, power on hours exceeding 40,000 and a voltage exceeding 1.5 Vmay be combined to represent a warranty limit.

Warranty monitoring and enforcement system 102 (hereinafter “warrantysystem 102”) includes a parameter obtainer 130, a comparator 132, anaction taker 134 and a warranty limit changer 136. Warranty system 102may include, or access, one or more parameter monitor(s) 138. Inaddition, warranty system 102 may include a parameter data storagesystem 140 and a warranty limit data storage system 142. Each storagesystem 140, 142 may include, for example, any type of non-volatilememory such as non-volatile memory random access memory (NV-RAM), whichmay be positioned on IC 100 (as shown) or external thereto. Each of theabove-described components will be described in greater detail herein.

Turning to FIG. 2, a flow diagram showing embodiments of an operationalmethodology of warranty system 102 is illustrated. In a first processP1, parameter obtainer 130 obtains a value of a parameter of IC 100. A“parameter” may be any characteristic of IC 100 that impacts a warranty.For example, a parameter of IC 100 may include, but is not limited to:power-on hours, temperature, clock frequency, location (e.g., determinedby a global positioning system (GPS), data communication volume over oneor more interfaces, etc. A parameter value may be obtained in a numberof ways. In one embodiment, parameter obtainer 130 may directly access aparameter monitor 138 that monitors/senses a value of the particularparameter. For example, FIG. 3 shows embodiments of a parametermonitor(s) 138 including, but not limited to: a real time clock 150, atemperature sensor 152, a voltage sensor 154, a power monitor 156, afrequency monitor 158 (receives a clock (clk) signal), a cycle counter160, a bandwidth monitor 162, a location monitor 164 (e.g., GPS), andperhaps other monitors 166. Each parameter monitor 138 may include anynow known or later developed structure necessary for monitoring/sensingthat stated parameter. Since these monitors are known, no furtherdescription is deemed necessary. Although each parameter monitor 138 isshown once, it is understood that one or more of the parameter monitors138 may be repeated multiple times and at different locations within IC100.

In an alternative embodiment, a parameter value may be obtained byparameter obtainer 130 from parameter data stored in parameter datastorage system 140. In this case, parameter monitor(s) 138 mayperiodically update a value of a parameter in parameter data storagesystem 140 for later access by parameter obtainer 130. In someinstances, a history of a parameter is required and periodic updating byan associated parameter monitor 138 allows for partial sum updates orother calculations or analysis of rough data. Illustrative parametersthat may require period updating include, but are not limited to: poweron time, number of cycles and total bandwidth.

In process P2, warranty data storage system 142 stores warranty limitdata regarding the IC. Warranty limit data may include a plurality ofwarranty limits that can be compared to value(s) of one or moreparameters to determine whether the warranty limit has been exceeded. Awarranty limit may be generated in a number of ways. In one embodiment,a warranty limit may be generated when IC 100 is created by themanufacturer, i.e., set by the IC manufacturer. In another embodiment,warranty limit changer 136 dynamically changes the warranty limit basedon at least one parameter of the IC. In this case, a warranty limit maybe generated when IC 100 is created by the manufacturer and dynamicallychanged. For example, warranty limit changer 136 may extend theexpiration date of a warranty provision when a power on time parameteris less than expected, or if temperature or voltage does not exceed somepredetermined value. In another embodiment, a warranty limit may begenerated via a source 170 external to IC 100 via a network such as theInternet. External source 170 may be any entity such as the ICmanufacturer that is allowed to change a warranty limit.

In process P3, comparator 132 determines whether a warranty limit hasbeen exceeded by comparing the value of the parameter to a correspondingwarranty limit. For example, a temperature of 98° C. compared to awarranty limit of 80° C. results in an indication that that warrantylimit is exceeded. It is understood that a one-to-one correspondencebetween a value of a parameter and a warranty limit is not necessary andthat combinations of values of parameters may be required. Hence,“corresponding warranty limit” may include a number of warranty limitsor may require a number of parameter values in order to be comparativelyanalyzed.

In process P4, action taker 134 takes a prescribed action in response tothe warranty limit being exceeded. The prescribed action may take anyform necessary for enforcing warranty provisions, and may be stored aspart of warranty limit data in warranty limit data storage system 142.In one embodiment, the prescribed action may include disabling at leasta part of the IC, i.e., a part of operational logic 104. In anotherembodiment, the prescribed action may include providing a notificationto a user of IC 100, e.g., via an output device coupled to IC 100, thata warranty provision is about to be violated so that the user can takeappropriate action. For example, where an IC is constructed for coldweather operation only and the IC 100 is about to pass to a warmerlatitude, a warning may be presented to a user. In another embodiment,the prescribed action may include re-enabling at least a part of IC 100that has been disabled by a previous prescribed action. For example,carrying on with the above location example, where IC 100 moves back tothe appropriate latitude, the part of IC 100 disabled may be re-enabled.In another embodiment, the prescribed action may include conducting arepair such as replacing a broken part of operational logic 104 with aredundant part thereof. The above-described prescribed actions are onlyillustrative, and other actions may be possible within the scope of thedisclosure.

As is known in the art, in general, IC 100 executes computer programcode, such as warranty system 102, embodied as firmware that is storedin memory therein and/or storage systems 140 and/or 142. While executingcomputer program code, IC 100 can read and/or write data, such asparameter values, to/from memory, storage systems 140, 142, and/or I/Ointerfaces (not shown). A communications link with IC 100 may employ anyform of internal network or an external network. In the latter case, thenetwork can comprise any combination of one or more types of networks(e.g., the Internet, a wide area network, a local area network, avirtual private network, etc.). Network adapters may also be coupled tothe system to enable the data processing system to become coupled toother data processing systems or remote printers or storage devicesthrough intervening private or public networks. Modems, cable modem andEthernet cards are just a few of the currently available types ofnetwork adapters. Regardless, communications between the computingdevices may utilize any combination of various types of transmissiontechniques.

Warranty system 102 may take the form of an entirely hardwareembodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment containingboth hardware and software elements. In a preferred embodiment, thedisclosure is implemented in software, which includes but is not limitedto firmware, resident software, microcode, etc. In one embodiment, thedisclosure can take the form of a computer program product accessiblefrom a computer-usable or computer-readable medium providing programcode for use by or in connection with a computer or any instructionexecution system, which when executed, enables a computer infrastructureto provide warranty system 102. For the purposes of this description, acomputer-usable or computer readable medium can be any apparatus thatcan contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program foruse by or in connection with the instruction execution system,apparatus, or device. The medium can be an electronic, magnetic,optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system (orapparatus or device) or a propagation medium. Examples of acomputer-readable medium include a semiconductor or solid state memory,such as storage system 140, magnetic tape, a removable computerdiskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), atape, a rigid magnetic disk and an optical disk. Current examples ofoptical disks include compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM), compactdisk-read/write (CD-R/W) and DVD.

As used herein, it is understood that the terms “program code” and“computer program code” are synonymous and mean any expression, in anylanguage, code or notation, of a set of instructions that cause acomputing device having an information processing capability to performa particular function either directly or after any combination of thefollowing: (a) conversion to another language, code or notation; (b)reproduction in a different material form; and/or (c) decompression. Tothis extent, program code can be embodied as one or more types ofprogram products, such as an application/software program, componentsoftware/a library of functions, an operating system, a basic I/Osystem/driver for a particular computing and/or I/O device, and thelike.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an exemplary design flow 900 used forexample, in semiconductor design, manufacturing, and/or test. Designflow 900 may vary depending on the type of IC being designed. Forexample, a design flow 900 for building an application specific IC(ASIC) may differ from a design flow 900 for designing a standardcomponent. Design structure 920 is preferably an input to a designprocess 910 and may come from an IP provider, a core developer, or otherdesign company or may be generated by the operator of the design flow,or from other sources. Design structure 920 comprises an embodiment ofthe disclosure as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 in the form of schematics orHDL, a hardware-description language (e.g., Verilog, VHDL, C, etc.).Design structure 920 may be contained on one or more machine readablemedium. For example, design structure 920 may be a text file or agraphical representation of an embodiment of the disclosure as shown inFIGS. 1 and 3. Design process 910 preferably synthesizes (or translates)an embodiment of the disclosure as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 into a netlist980, where netlist 980 is, for example, a list of wires, transistors,logic gates, control circuits, I/O, models, etc. that describes theconnections to other elements and circuits in an integrated circuitdesign and recorded on at least one of machine readable medium. Forexample, the medium may be a CD, a compact flash, other flash memory, aprogrammable gate array (PGA) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA)offered by Altera® Inc. or Xilinx® Inc, a packet of data to be sent viathe Internet, or other networking suitable means. The synthesis may bean iterative process in which netlist 980 is resynthesized one or moretimes depending on design specifications and parameters for the circuit.

FIG. 9 illustrates multiple such design structures including an inputdesign structure 920 that is preferably processed by a design process910. Design structure 920 may be a logical simulation design structuregenerated and processed by design process 910 to produce a logicallyequivalent functional representation of a hardware device. Designstructure 920 may also or alternatively comprise data and/or programinstructions that when processed by design process 910, generate afunctional representation of the physical structure of a hardwaredevice. Whether representing functional and/or structural designfeatures, design structure 920 may be generated using electroniccomputer-aided design (ECAD) such as implemented by a coredeveloper/designer. When encoded on a machine-readable datatransmission, gate array, or storage medium, design structure 920 may beaccessed and processed by one or more hardware and/or software moduleswithin design process 910 to simulate or otherwise functionallyrepresent an electronic component, circuit, electronic or logic module,apparatus, device, or system such as those shown in an embodiment of thedisclosure as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. As such, design structure 920 maycomprise files or other data structures including human and/ormachine-readable source code, compiled structures, andcomputer-executable code structures that when processed by a design orsimulation data processing system, functionally simulate or otherwiserepresent circuits or other levels of hardware logic design. Such datastructures may include hardware-description language (HDL) designentities or other data structures conforming to and/or compatible withlower-level HDL design languages such as Verilog and VHDL, and/or higherlevel design languages such as C or C++.

Design process 910 preferably employs and incorporates hardware and/orsoftware modules for synthesizing, translating, or otherwise processinga design/simulation functional equivalent of the components, circuits,devices, or logic structures shown in an embodiment of the disclosure asshown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to generate a netlist 980 which may containdesign structures such as design structure 920. Netlist 980 maycomprise, for example, compiled or otherwise processed data structuresrepresenting a list of wires, discrete components, logic gates, controlcircuits, I/O devices, models, etc. that describes the connections toother elements and circuits in an integrated circuit design. Netlist 980may be synthesized using an iterative process in which netlist 980 isresynthesized one or more times depending on design specifications andparameters for the device. As with other design structure typesdescribed herein, netlist 980 may be recorded on a machine-readable datastorage medium or programmed into a programmable gate array. The mediummay be a non-volatile storage medium such as a magnetic or optical diskdrive, a programmable gate array, a compact flash, or other flashmemory. Additionally, or in the alternative, the medium may be a systemor cache memory, buffer space, or electrically or optically conductivedevices and materials on which data packets may be transmitted andintermediately stored via the Internet, or other networking suitablemeans.

Design process 910 may include hardware and software modules forprocessing a variety of input data structure types including netlist980. Such data structure types may reside, for example, within libraryelements 930 and include a set of commonly used elements, circuits, anddevices, including models, layouts, and symbolic representations, for agiven manufacturing technology (e.g., different technology nodes, 32 nm,45 nm, 90 nm, etc.). The data structure types may further include designspecifications 940, characterization data 950, verification data 960,design rules 970, and test data files 985 which may include input testpatterns, output test results, and other testing information. Designprocess 910 may further include, for example, standard mechanical designprocesses such as stress analysis, thermal analysis, mechanical eventsimulation, process simulation for operations such as casting, molding,and die press forming, etc. One of ordinary skill in the art ofmechanical design can appreciate the extent of possible mechanicaldesign tools and applications used in design process 910 withoutdeviating from the scope and spirit of the invention. Design process 910may also include modules for performing standard circuit designprocesses such as timing analysis, verification, design rule checking,place and route operations, etc.

Design process 910 employs and incorporates logic and physical designtools such as HDL compilers and simulation model build tools to processdesign structure 920 together with some or all of the depictedsupporting data structures along with any additional mechanical designor data (if applicable), to generate a second design structure 990.Design structure 990 resides on a storage medium or programmable gatearray in a data format used for the exchange of data of mechanicaldevices and structures (e.g. information stored in a IGES, DXF,Parasolid XT, JT, DRG, or any other suitable format for storing orrendering such mechanical design structures). Similar to designstructure 920, design structure 990 preferably comprises one or morefiles, data structures, or other computer-encoded data or instructionsthat reside on transmission or data storage media and that whenprocessed by an ECAD system generate a logically or otherwisefunctionally equivalent form of one or more of the embodiments of theinvention shown in an embodiment of the disclosure as shown in FIGS. 1and 3. In one embodiment, design structure 990 may comprise a compiled,executable HDL simulation model that functionally simulates the devicesshown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Design structure 990 may also employ a data format used for the exchangeof layout data of integrated circuits and/or symbolic data format (e.g.information stored in a GDSII (GDS2), GL1, OASIS, map files, or anyother suitable format for storing such design data structures). Designstructure 990 may comprise information such as, for example, symbolicdata, map files, test data files, design content files, manufacturingdata, layout parameters, wires, levels of metal, vias, shapes, data forrouting through the manufacturing line, and any other data required by amanufacturer or other designer/developer to produce a device orstructure as described above and shown in an embodiment of thedisclosure as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Design structure 990 may thenproceed to a stage 995 where, for example, design structure 990:proceeds to tape-out, is released to manufacturing, is released to amask house, is sent to another design house, is sent back to thecustomer, etc.

As discussed herein, various systems and components are described as“obtaining” data (e.g., parameter obtainer 130, etc.). It is understoodthat the corresponding data can be obtained using any solution. Forexample, the corresponding system/component can generate and/or be usedto generate the data, retrieve the data from one or more data stores(e.g., a database), receive the data from another system/component,and/or the like. When the data is not generated by the particularsystem/component, it is understood that another system/component can beimplemented apart from the system/component shown, which generates thedata and provides it to the system/component and/or stores the data foraccess by the system/component.

The foregoing flow diagrams show some of the processing functionsassociated with warranty monitoring and enforcement according to severalembodiments of this disclosure. In this regard, each block represents aprocess act associated with performing these functions. It should alsobe noted that in some alternative implementations, the acts noted in theblocks may occur out of the order noted in the figure or, for example,may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or in the reverseorder, depending upon the act involved. Also, one of ordinary skill inthe art will recognize that additional blocks that describe theprocessing functions may be added.

The IC, warranty system, design structure and method as described aboveis used in the fabrication of integrated circuit chips. The resultingintegrated circuit chips can be distributed by the fabricator in rawwafer form (that is, as a single wafer that has multiple unpackagedchips), as a bare die, or in a packaged form. In the latter case thechip is mounted in a single chip package (such as a plastic carrier,with leads that are affixed to a motherboard or other higher levelcarrier) or in a multichip package (such as a ceramic carrier that haseither or both surface interconnections or buried interconnections). Inany case the chip is then integrated with other chips, discrete circuitelements, and/or other signal processing devices as part of either (a)an intermediate product, such as a motherboard, or (b) an end product.The end product can be any product that includes integrated circuitchips, ranging from toys and other low-end applications to advancedcomputer products having a display, a keyboard or other input device,and a central processor.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure.As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the disclosure in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Theembodiments chosen and described were made in order to best explain theprinciples of the disclosure and the practical application, and toenable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosurefor various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

What is claimed is:
 1. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising: aparameter obtainer for obtaining a value of a parameter of the IC; awarranty data storage system for storing warranty limit data regardingthe IC; a comparator for determining whether a warranty limit of the IChas been exceeded by comparing the value of the parameter of the IC to acorresponding warranty limit for the parameter of the IC; extending awarranty time limit of the IC in response to determining that the valueof the parameter of the IC does not exceed a predetermined threshold;and an action taker for taking a prescribed action in response to thewarranty limit of the IC being exceeded, wherein the prescribed actionincludes disabling at least a part of the IC.
 2. The IC of claim 1,further comprising a parameter data storage system for storing the valueof the parameter of the IC as parameter data.
 3. The IC of claim 1,wherein the prescribed action includes re-enabling at least a part ofthe IC that has been disabled by a previous prescribed action.
 4. The ICof claim 1, wherein the extending of the warranty time limit of the ICcomprises extending the warranty time limit based on an input from asource external to the IC.
 5. The IC of claim 1, wherein the parameterof the IC is selected from the group consisting of: power-on hours,temperature, clock frequency, location, and data communication volumeover one or more interfaces.
 6. A design structure embodied in anon-transitory machine readable medium, which when executed by acomputer system is used for designing, manufacturing, or testing anintegrated circuit, the design structure comprising: an integratedcircuit (IC) including: a warranty data storage system for storingwarranty limit data regarding the IC; a parameter obtainer for obtaininga value of a parameter of the IC; a comparator for determining whether awarranty limit of the IC has been exceeded by comparing the value of theparameter of the IC to a corresponding warranty limit for the parameterof the IC; extending a warranty time limit of the IC in response todetermining that the value of the parameter of the IC does not exceed apredetermined threshold; and an action taker for taking a prescribedaction in response to the warranty limit of the IC being exceeded,wherein the prescribed action is selected from the group consisting of:disabling at least a part of the IC, and re-enabling at least a part ofthe IC that has been disabled by a previous prescribed action.
 7. Thedesign structure of claim 6, wherein the design structure comprises anetlist.
 8. The design structure of claim 6, wherein the designstructure resides on storage medium as a data format used for theexchange of layout data of integrated circuits.
 9. The design structureof claim 6, wherein the design structure resides in a programmable gatearray.
 10. A hardware description language (HDL) design structureencoded on a non-transitory machine-readable data medium that whenprocessed in a computer-aided design system generates amachine-executable representation of an integrated circuit (IC)comprising: a parameter obtainer for obtaining a value of a parameter ofthe IC; a warranty data storage system for storing warranty limit dataregarding the IC; a comparator for determining whether a warranty limitof the IC has been exceeded by comparing the value of the parameter ofthe IC to a corresponding warranty limit for the parameter of the IC;extending a warranty time limit of the IC in response to determiningthat the value of the parameter of the IC does not exceed apredetermined threshold; and an action taker for taking a prescribedaction in response to the warranty limit of the IC being exceeded,wherein the prescribed action is selected from the group consisting of:disabling at least a part of the IC, and re-enabling at least a part ofthe IC that has been disabled by a previous prescribed action.
 11. TheHDL design structure of claim 10, wherein the design structure comprisesa netlist.
 12. The HDL design structure of claim 10, wherein the designstructure resides on storage medium as a data format used for theexchange of layout data of integrated circuits.
 13. The design structureof claim 10, wherein the design structure resides in a programmable gatearray.